I'm No Lewis by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/27/2006 at 6:00 PM

I found Ben's response concerning Christian artists a bit harsh. True, today's art may not possess the depth or quality of the works of Bach, Tennyson and Lewis, but one must also recognize that we are living in a very different society. Instant art, such as blogs, digital photography and YouTube, is valued over the life's-work novel or concerto. Therefore, it seems unfair to imply Sara Groves is failing as an artist because she isn't Bach.

I agree with Ben, however, that artists should be seeking a higher level of excellence and creativity. This commentary on the downfall of classical diva Charlotte Church (HT: The Point) is a good example of the low expectations many artists bring to the table. Artists who operate within the context of the Christian faith, face an additional challenge as the arts have long been viewed as a luxury among believers. In his book "Children of a Greater God," Terry Glaspey writes:

"While willing to admit that the arts can even be useful at times (in evangelism, for instance), some do not see them as anything more than frivolous embroidery on the fabric of daily life. Because we don't see the arts as important, it is not surprising that much of our 'Christian' art is of the most shallow and forgettable sort."

And so it is encouraging when an artist who loves God steps forward and uses her gifts in a powerful way for the Kingdom. Like Bezalel, whom the Lord specially gifted to carve the ark of the covenant, such artists exercise the artistic gifts the Lord has given them. And that is enough. An artist need not seek to create the next big thing in art; he only need seek excellence as he uses his gifts for God. The resulting art will surely transcend the mediocre.

I'm No Lewis by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 09/27/2006 at 6:00 PM

I found Ben's response concerning Christian artists a bit harsh. True, today's art may not possess the depth or quality of the works of Bach, Tennyson and Lewis, but one must also recognize that we are living in a very different society. Instant art, such as blogs, digital photography and YouTube, is valued over the life's-work novel or concerto. Therefore, it seems unfair to imply Sara Groves is failing as an artist because she isn't Bach.

I agree with Ben, however, that artists should be seeking a higher level of excellence and creativity. This commentary on the downfall of classical diva Charlotte Church (HT: The Point) is a good example of the low expectations many artists bring to the table. Artists who operate within the context of the Christian faith, face an additional challenge as the arts have long been viewed as a luxury among believers. In his book "Children of a Greater God," Terry Glaspey writes:

"While willing to admit that the arts can even be useful at times (in evangelism, for instance), some do not see them as anything more than frivolous embroidery on the fabric of daily life. Because we don't see the arts as important, it is not surprising that much of our 'Christian' art is of the most shallow and forgettable sort."

And so it is encouraging when an artist who loves God steps forward and uses her gifts in a powerful way for the Kingdom. Like Bezalel, whom the Lord specially gifted to carve the ark of the covenant, such artists exercise the artistic gifts the Lord has given them. And that is enough. An artist need not seek to create the next big thing in art; he only need seek excellence as he uses his gifts for God. The resulting art will surely transcend the mediocre.